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SCMP Reporter

It is surprising to many that many students in Hong Kong prefer to attend private tutorial colleges rather than pursue their studies at school.

 The problem has become more acute in recent years. The present education system has long been attacked as examination-oriented.

 It imposes great pressure on students and so they lose their enthusiasm for knowledge. Their only concern is to learn all the useful materials they need for the examination.

 For most students, attending private tutorial colleges gives them many notes in various subject areas that they find very easy to read and understand. That is the main reason for the popularity of these tutorial schools.

  But it is also true that, due to teachers' heavy workload, they may not have enough time to prepare well for classes.

 Some even talk exactly like textbooks.

 Obviously, students cannot learn well in such undesirable circumstances.

 Therefore, attending private tutorial colleges is a good choice for them, allowing them to study with better understanding.

  It's undoubtedly time the education system was improved. The most effective way is to cultivate in students an interest in studying, and not force them to learn what they are not interested in.

  Building up an effective assessment system and reducing the workload of teachers and students are two factors in ensuring the provision of an all-round education.

LAU FUNG-YEE New Territories I would like to express my opinion on the article 'Exam culture hurts arts dramatically' (South China Morning Post, October 7) concerning schools' neglect of such subjects as music, art and drama.

  It seems to me schools are guilty of paying much more attention to academic subjects than art subjects, and pressure from society is responsible for this emphasis.

 It is true that students of academic subjects are more likely to find a job quickly than art students, who need to study longer to achieve a professional level at which they can obtain a job. Therefore, students - following the schools' lead - feel bound to study in academic subjects and ignore the importance of art subjects.

 Ignorance of the arts will disappear only when everyone's way of thinking, as well as society's attitude, is changed.

WALTER MAN Kowloon 



Popularity of colleges reflects on schools